Metered intermittent spray dispenser



Sept. 24, 1968 J. P. COTES 3,402,861

METERED INTERMITTENT SPRAY DISPENSER Filed Jan 5, 1967 I g I: ii I L Q 0 Q l: E)

H gw V6 akaa I NVENTOR Job/ E Cotes United, Siam mt ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for dispensing measured volumes of liquids under pressure at predetermined intervals, including a measuring chamber with separate alternately operating inletand outlet valves.

Thisinventionrelates to devices for the discharge of small measured quantities of pressurized liquids at predetermined intervals of time.

Such devices are presently in wide use for the introduction into private and public rooms of insecticides, disinfectants, sanitizers, perfumes and medications.

Ordinarily such devices are actuated by conventional 110 volt power sources for the actuation of the timing mechanism and for the operation of the discharge valves.

Because 110 volt power is occasionally not available, as for example in a patio or by a swimming pool, attempts have been made to construct such devices to be powered by small dry cell batteries. Devices of this type as heretofore known have encountered substantial commercial difiiculties because of their frequent malfunctions, substantial maintenance costs, and lack of uniformity in dispensing characteristics over a period of several weeks.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a reliable battery-powered dispenser for liquids under pressure which will discharge a measured volume of liquid at predetermined intervals.

Another object is to provide such a dispenser which is constructed to operate uniformly despite substantial changes in available voltage.

A still further object is to provide such a device which consumes so little electrical energy that it can be operated for over thirty days on the energy supplied by a single pair of ordinary flashlight batteries.

Other objects will be apparent from a study of the following description and drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of my preferred embodiment.

FIGURE 2 is a front view.

FIGURE 3 is a side view, and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross section view of a section of the valve body, taken through the axes of the valve holes.

In the drawings, in which like numerals indicate similar parts, represents a conventional sheet steel container charged with compressed Freon and a liquid with insecticidal or other desired properties.

Container 10 in the preferred embodiment is equipped with a valve 11 adapted for discharge when the container is screwed into a vertical threaded hole 12 in container support 13. The drawing indicates that valve 11 is at the bottom of container 10, but obviously if valve 11 were equipped with a tube leading to the'other end of container 10 then container 10 could be so positioned as to place valve 11 at the top of container 10.

Threaded hole 12 intersects a horizontal hole 14 which is threaded to receive one end of a conventional tube elbow 15. The other end of elbow 15 is fitted into a horizontal threaded hole 16 which is provided in valve body 17.

Valve body 17 is provided with an inlet valve hole 18 and a parallel outlet valve hole 19.

Each valve hole has a generally fiat bottom 50 in which 3,402,861 Patented Se t. 24, 19,68

. 2 is fitted a valve disk; 20, made of flexible rubber-like material, and secured in place by the annular contact of a hollow set screw 21 which is threadedly engaged in holes 18 and 19.

It has been found that the energy required to reliably actuate these valves is substantially reduced by pre-loading disks 20. This isaccomplished by providing a slight central circular recess 51 below the disk supporting annulus of surface 50. For illustrative purposes, we suggest that where. disk 20 is three-eighths of an inch in diameter then recess .51 should be three sixteenths of an inch in diameter and one thirty-second of an inch in depth.

Set screws 21 conventionally have a hexagonal central hole. Hexagonal valve plungers 22 are slidably fitted into said central holes, and proportioned to extend from disk 20 to a distance slightly above the upper portions of set screws 21. The lower ends of plungers 22 press against the center of disks 20.

A small hole 23 extends from the center of inlet valve recess 51 to hole 16. Adjacent hole 23 is a parallel small hole 24 which extends to a metering chamber 25.

Chamber 25 is preferably formed by drilling a small hole 26 in body 17, perpendicular to holes 23 and 24. The entrance portion of hole 26 is threaded to receive a screw 27, which acts as a closure for hole 26. A gasket 28 is preferably provided under the head of screw 27 to prevent leakage at this point. Variations in the length of screw 27 will provide variations in the volume of metering chamber 25. Alternately, with proper selection of materials and fits between hole 26 and screw 27, gasket 28 can 'be omitted, and the volume of chamber 25 then adjusted simply by varying the engagement of screw 27 in hole 26.

Hole 26 extends to intersect a small hole 38 which is generally perpendicular to hole 26 and to disk 20 of exhaust valve 19. Hole 38 is preferably coaxial with disk 20 in valve 19.

Adjacent and parallel to hole 28 is a discharge hole 29 which leads to a discharge spray nozzle 30.

Valve plungers 22 are alternately pressed down upon the rubber disks in valve holes 18 and 19 by a pivoted lever 31.

Lever 31 is supported for pivotal movement by a fixed shaft 32 which is positioned perpendicular to and between valve holes 18 and 19. Lever 31 is intermittently actuated by a relay 33 which attracts a magnetic armature 34 at the far end of lever 31. A compression spring 35 is provided between armature 34 and shaft 32 to press plunger 22 in hole 18 down upon the disk 20 at all times except when relay 33 is actuated.

Relay 33 is actuated by a conventional electronic circuit including resistors, capacitors and transistors to produce from two conventional flashlight batteries a momentary surge of electrical current once every fifteen or twenty minutes. In certain applications the circuit can provide for adjustment in the time interval between current surges.

Because of the multiplication of force provided by lever 31, and the short distance of the required movement of disks 20 to activate the inlet and discharge valves, amounting to less than one-sixteenth of an inch, a very slight flow of current is adequate to operate this device.

The service life of disks 20 is extremely long because of the slight fiexure of the disks in the operation of the valves.

The drawings show preferred means for adjusting the contacts between lever 31 and the plungers 22 in valve holes 18 and 19.

These adjusting means each comprise a conventional screw 34 threadedly engaged in a hole in lever 31, coaxial with holes 18 and 19, and extending below lever 31 to contrast the upper ends of plungers 22. A lock nut 35 is 3 it preferably provided on each screw 34 to prevent, h in the adjusted position of'sc rew 34.

In the operation of this device valve 11 of charged container is screwed down into hole 12, thereby opening valve 11 and permitting liquid to flow from container 10 through hole 12 into holes 14, elbow 15 and inlet hole 18.

Inlet hole 18 is normally sealed shut by the pressure of disk 20 upon it. a Y

When the electronic timing device is triggered by the accumulation of electric energy in-the capacitors, a surge of current flows through the windings of relay 33, creating a magnetic pull which draws armature 34 toward it', and thus pivots lever 31 on shaft 32. v 1

This pivoting action raises plunger 22 oif inlet valve disk 20. Liquid under pressure in hole 23 thereupon raises disk 20 Off recess, and down therefrom through hole 24 into metering chamber 25.

From chamber 25, liquid flows up hole 38, which is sealed by the pressure of outlet valve disk 20 upon it. When this hole and chamber 25 are filled, flow ceases.

The surge of current through relay 33 then ceases, and lever 31 is thrust upwardly by spring 35, thus closing inlet valve disk 20 and releasing outlet valve disk 20.

This in turn permits the vapor pressure of the liquid in chamber 25 to force the liquid into exhaust valve recess 51 from which it flows through discharge hole 29 to spray nozzle 30.

The device thereafter lies quiescent for a period of about 15 minutes, until another short surge of electricity causes the discharge through spray nozzle 30 of another quantity of liquid equal to the volume of metering chamber 25 plus holes 24 and 28.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention alternative construction of the elements of my combination will be apparent from a study of this specification by one skilled in the art.

I intend to be limited only within the scope of the following claims:

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for intermittently discharging measured volumes of pressurized liquids comprising anges closed vessel coiit'aihing liquidand compressed (b) A valve body having an inlet valve and an outlet valve, each of said valves including a reciprocating valve stem, an inlet hole coaxial with said valve stem, a flexible disk interposed between said valve stem and said inlet hole, and means .to press said valve stem against saidfiexible disk to such extent as to seal shut said inlet hole;

(c) A metering chamber extending from the outlet port of said inlet valve to' the inlet port of said outlet valve; W

(d) A lever for alternatelylopening and closing said inlet and outlet valves, said lever being pivoted about an axis which is perpendicular to the axes of said valve stems;

(e) Spring means for normally urging said lever to close said inlet valve and open said discharge valve;

(f) Electrically energized means for intermittently moving said lever to open said inlet valve and close said discharge valve.

2. In the device described in claim 1 wherein said inlet hole is so located that some slight distention of said disk by said valve stem is necessary to close said valve.

3. In the device described in claim 1 wherein said disk is positively locked in position by means of a hollow screw, the center hole in said screw being proportioned for sliding fit with said valve stem.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,824,585 2/ 1958 Andres 222-447 X 2,846,118 8/1958 Matejka 222-3 2,928,573 3/ 1960 Edelstein 239- X 3,138,301 6/1964 Ward 222-4022 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner. 

